Morrisons apologise for Angel of the North stunt

Morrisons are under pressure to win some hearts-and-minds, in a bid to get people shopping with them more frequently. However, they dropped a clanger this week, with many consumers annoyed at the supermarket's stunt which used public art as a billboard.

In case you missed it this weekend, Morrisons projected an advert for cheap bread on the wings of the Angel of the North.

Instead of people thinking "Cooo! A price war on French bread! Just what I always wanted!", the thinking seemed to be "Christ... why does this country like shitting on its public art like this? I bet they don't do this in other countries," and "Oh look! More cultural vandalism from a supermarket!"

The artist who created the piece, Antony Gormley, wasn't a fan of the advertising stunt either. He's apparently always wanted the piece to stand without any interference, isolated and unlit. In fact, Gormley had a clause added to the original agreement when work on the Angel began back in '94, saying that he refused permission to light the Angel.

Chairman of Tyneside tourism group Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, Paul Callaghan, tweeted: "Sadly misjudged advert by @Morrisons. I can understand why they are struggling. Time to dump your advertising agency."

Whether Morrisons got permission from Gateshead Council for the advert, isn't clear. Either way, the supermarket apologised and a spokesperson said: "We’re sorry if you thought we got carried away by shining a baguette on the Angel of the North and apologise unreservedly to those to whom we have caused offence."

"We were trying something different which was meant to put a smile on peoples faces but clearly it wasn't to everybody’s tastes. We’re so proud of our northern roots and the last thing we want to do is offend anybody."

Morrisons just can't get it right at the minute, can they?

Of course, this isn't the worst thing that's happened to the Angel of the North. Remember Newcastle fans dressing it up in a Magpies shirt?

2 comments

2 years agoEd C.

Typical non-apology; "We’re sorry if *you* thought we got carried away..." - no Mea Culpa, or straight up admission of a colossal mistake.
"We’re sorry if you're so small minded that our projection of a baguette on a work of art offended you and you thought we got carried away..." is what they're actually saying.